Process for the continuous refining of lengths of textile materials and the like



United States Patent 3,411,862 PROCESS FOR THE CONTINUOUS REFINING OFIljENGTHs OF TEXTiLE MATERIALS AND THE IKE Christian A. Meier-Windhorst,Hamburg, Germany, assignor t0 Artos Dr. Ing. Meier-Windhorst K.G.,Hamburg, Germany N0 Drawing. Filed Dec. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 512,771 4Claims. (Cl. 8-401) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A length of textilematerial which is being refined by continuous impregnation with asuitable refining medium, is maintained in an atmosphere consisting of amixture of steam and an inert gas in order to provide the real treatingtemperature of the refining process, said temperature being below 100 C.

This invention relates to a process for a continuous refining treatmentof lengths of textiles of all types in connection with bleaching,dyeing, pressure after-treatment and high-refining with heat treatmentswhile excluding air-oxygen.

Heretofore continuous heat treatments with the exclusion of air-oxygentook place during bleaching and dyeing, during pressure after-treatmentof the wet impregnated textiles in the two-phase process and duringpressure after-treatment of textiles dried after the pressure treatmentin the Rongalith-potash process in pure steam, i.e., at temperatures of100 C. and higher.

Some bleaching and drying processes can not be carried out undertemperatures of 100 0, either due to the chemicals which are being usedor due to the nature of the wet materials which are susceptible to suchtemperatures. In that case operation takes place in a steam-air mixtureand the drawbacks of the presence of a certain percentage of air-oxygenmust be accepted. Usually in those cases compromises are effectedbetween the drawbacks of the higher temperature and those of the presentoxygen content.

The reduction dyeing process, for example, the dyeing with vat dyes,does not permit the presence of even a few percentages of air-oxygen, sothat up to now it was necessary to operate in pure steam and thus withtreating temperatures of 100 C.

An object of the present invention is the development of a continuous orsemi-continuous process for the main textile refining treatment whichpermits at all times the use of temperatures for treated materials whichare below 100 C. and preferably between 50 and 90 C., and which operatesunder normal pressure but with the exclusion of air-oxygen.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in thecourse of the following specification.

In the accomplishment of the objectives of the present invention it wasfound desirable to provide a process for a continuous refining treatmentof lengths of textile materials of all types, wherein the length oftextile material which is continuously impregnated with a treatingmedium, is introduced into a heat treating chamber which is filleduniformly with a mixture of steam and an inert gas, such as nitrogen,the ratio of the mixture being such that the actual saturationtemperature of the partial pressure of steam corresponds to the realtreating temper-ature of the refining process.

Preferably, a mixture of steam and inert gas is continuously introducedinto the heat treating chamber, whereby the desired partial steampressure is preferably maintained by suitably varying the amount of theinert gas by measuring the temperature indicated by a wet bulbthermometer close to the inlet of the length of material.

It was also found advisable to conduct a certain excessive amount of themixture of steam and inert gas in countercurrent over a heating zone forthe material which is located close to the inlet of the material.

The excessive amount of the mixture of steam and inert gas should leavethe treating chamber or the heating zone through a very narrow inletslit or, when the material continuously passes through the treatingchamber, through an equally narrow outlet slit, whereby the actual flowresistance in the treating chamber produces a slight excess pressurewhich prevents uncontrolled penetration of air and, consequently, ofoxygen.

To diminish consumption of inert gas the length of material can beintroduced into the treating chamber through a special seal serving slitand also, preferably, withdrawn through such a slit.

It was found that a dyeing process following the present inventioncompletely eliminates many difiiculties heretofore encountered inbleaching, formation of sodium cellulose, and in dyeing with vat dyes,for example when dyeing close mercerized poplins.

It is apparent that the described invention is subject to manyvariations and modifications Within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a refining heat treating process wherein a length of textilematerial is being impregnated with -a liquid at a temperature below C.and at atmospheric pressure, the step of introducing said length oftextile material into a chamber filled with a mixture of steam and aninert gas, in order to attain the real treating temperature.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the inert gas isnitrogen.

3. A process in accordance with claim 1, comprising the further step ofadjusting the ratio of the mixture by varying the amount of the inertgas until the actual saturation temperature of the partial pressure ofsteam corresponds to the real treating temperature of the heat treatingprocess.

4. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein said chamber has aheating zone for said length of textile material close to the inletthereof into said chamber, and wherein said mixture is conducted to saidlength of textile material over said heating zone in countercurrent tothe direction of movement of said length of textile material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 678 4/1838 Woodcroft 8701,913,615 6/1933 Rupp 8149.3 1,948,568 2/1934 Faber et a1 8-19 MAYERWEINBLATT, Primary Examiner.

